Different thoughts on new car ownership

[Teacher Terry]

We have a 2007 Toyota as well, a Prius. It has needed a little work but is fundamentally a very reliable car. DW loves it and will drive it until it can't go anymore.

Since retiring and moving to my condo I’m close to everything. The past 4 years I’ve only put 2700 miles per year on my car.

 

[TheWizard]

Since retiring and moving to my condo I’m close to everything. The past 4 years I’ve only put 2700 miles per year on my car.

In contrast, I put 6130 miles on my 2024 Mustang during my 28 day RoadTrip 24 to Wyoming and back a few months ago...

 

[Teacher Terry]

In contrast, I put 6130 miles on my 2024 Mustang during my 28 day RoadTrip 24 to Wyoming and back a few months ago...

When I was married we took some big driving trips like that for a month or more. It’s not fun if you’re by yourself. Now I just fly to visit family and friends.

 

[aja8888]

When I was married we took some big driving trips like that for a month or more. It’s not fun if you’re by yourself. Now I just fly to visit family and friends.

I live by myself @81 and drive 16,000+ miles per year, and everything is close by. But I try to leave my house every day to go do things.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I live by myself @81 and drive 16,000+ miles per year, and everything is close by. But I try to leave my house every day to go do things.

I leave my house daily but often it’s walking so not driving. I didn’t put that many miles on my car when working . I’m guessing I live in a smaller area and things are closer than it is for you.

 

[aja8888]

I leave my house daily but often it’s walking so not driving. I didn’t put that many miles on my car when working . I’m guessing I live in a smaller area and things are closer than it is for you.

Yes, all my daily trips to meet friends, play golf, etc, are 10 -20 miles each way. Some are longer. Where I live, the closest big grocery store is 5 miles away. Plus, I hate sitting at home by myself. I'm not an introvert.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Yes, all my daily trips to meet friends, play golf, etc, are 10 -20 miles each way. Some are longer. Where I live, the closest big grocery store is 5 miles away. Plus, I hate sitting at home by myself. I'm not an introvert.

I’m also an extrovert. 5 of my friends live in my condo building. One nice thing about that is we get together spontaneously in addition to planned get togethers.

Like last night my friend invited us all over for dessert around 2 and we met at 5. I met all 5 gradually after moving in. It’s definitely been a plus for me.

 

[skipro33]

I've bought/traded in my car for a new car at least every 5 years for at least 35 years. Once I had the money that is. Prior to that, I had to work my arse off to keep a car running well enough to reliably get to work. After retirement, I got my wife her very own car. Leasing that one. Every 3 years, she turns it back in for a new one. Since I've been doing that, I've never had to even raise the hood on her car. Now that's money I find well spent. I didn't retire to turn into an auto mechanic on machines that are too complicated for me to figure out. Even a brake job these days, with electronic parking brakes, requires a computer interface to do the job and test it afterwards. Wife's car, a 2024 Subaru Impreza, costs us $250 a month and that includes all warranty and maintenance like oil/filter changes. Subaru was just rated the most reliable car by Consumer Reports this year, beating out Toyota, Lexis, Honda, etc.
Here's a photo of what $250 will get you:
EDIT
Oh, and it gets 38mpg on the highway too. Not too shabby for an AWD vehicle.

 

[Dash man]

DW wants to buy a new car after Christmas festivities are over. She likes my 2021 BMW 540i xDrive, so will likely get the same thing except a 2024 or 2025 depending on what’s available.

 

[FlaGator]

Handed down the 2010 Honda Pilot to the kids. It now has ~130K on it after passing through Kid#1 after a few years of good service. Ended up replacing my daily driver with a Honda Passport which now has nearly 80K on it after 5+years. Considering getting something new and keeping the Passport as a second car (saving the $100 on a jumper pack for it ). May hand off the Passport to the second kid to replace the cosmetically ugly but still mechanically sound Pilot and dispose of it.

Quality, comfortable cars are important to me, and I have a low tolerance for inconvenience and things that no longer work as designed or as I wish. And that 2010 Pilot has more than one of those things.

Another form of BTD, and I can still pay the power bill

 

[klec]

My husband is a young 76 yo and we just traded in our 40K miles 4-year old Subaru Ascent to a brand new Cadillac Lyriq Luxury 3 all electric vehicle. We were going to buy a Tesla Model X but our salesperson had an emergency and his "backup" pissed us off so badly we left and went over to the Cadillac dealership. We are already talking about keeping this car about 5 years and getting another electric vehicle, either a Tesla or a newer generation of something. He will be 81 in 5 years' time and I don't think he is going to slow down by then. Golfing 4 to 5 days a week and working out the rest of the week keep both of us young.

How are you liking that Lyriq? I'm seeing more and more of them around. They’re made 20 minutes from me. I currently drive a Mercedes GLC 300 Coupe, but giving thought to the next one!

 

[Teacher Terry]

I've bought/traded in my car for a new car at least every 5 years for at least 35 years. Once I had the money that is. Prior to that, I had to work my arse off to keep a car running well enough to reliably get to work. After retirement, I got my wife her very own car. Leasing that one. Every 3 years, she turns it back in for a new one. Since I've been doing that, I've never had to even raise the hood on her car. Now that's money I find well spent. I didn't retire to turn into an auto mechanic on machines that are too complicated for me to figure out. Even a brake job these days, with electronic parking brakes, requires a computer interface to do the job and test it afterwards. Wife's car, a 2024 Subaru Impreza, costs us $250 a month and that includes all warranty and maintenance like oil/filter changes. Subaru was just rated the most reliable car by Consumer Reports this year, beating out Toyota, Lexis, Honda, etc.
Here's a photo of what $250 will get you:
EDIT
Oh, and it gets 38mpg on the highway too. Not too shabby for an AWD vehicle.

I looked up ratings at Edmunds that rates the Impreza at 7.6, Corolla at 7.4 and the Civic at 8.4. I’m going to be buying a new car but think I have ruled out the Impreza. Sounds like you guys like it. Since you lease you probably don’t own it long enough to see what problems develop.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

I primarily buy certified pre-owned.

In those situations, I’ve found that your can add a very long extended warranty (out to 8-10 years old) for not a lot extra IF you haggle like crazy. You can usually get it down to 35% of their original asking price for a bumper-bumper warranty.

Mostly cars are so reliable now that it’s been wasted money. I bought CPO Porsche a while back and paid a few thousand to extend the warranty another few years. That is definitely a situation where one repair will pay for the warranty.

 

[Montecfo]

I bought a used Lexus at a dealer recently. I was offered the opportunity to buy a 5 year warranty just on the wheels and tires for just $2299!

Comes in handy if you hit something and break a wheel I guess. I have never done that so I declined.

 

[Koolau]

I bought a used Lexus at a dealer recently. I was offered the opportunity to buy a 5 year warranty just on the wheels and tires for just $2299!

Comes in handy if you hit something and break a wheel I guess. I have never done that so I declined.

Heh, heh, I don't want a car that "needs" a warranty on the wheels/tires - but that's just me, I guess.

 

[TickTock]

Since DW and I had the means, we buy new and drive until the car becomes too much trouble / too many repairs. Not the most economical method over time, but DD has the stance that "knowing everything that has ever been done to the car is worth something to me" and I feel the same.

Extended warranties: traded the 2010 CR-V for a 2025 CR-V last year. Thought we were about through with the transaction when the finance guy (we didn't take out a loan) starts putting pretty color charts in front of us and talking about options. Didn't say it was extended warranty options; we had to figure that out for ourselves. Also didn't have the cost for each option, instead listing the bottom-line price we'd pay instead. ALL my alarm bells went off. We left without purchasing an extended warranty option and convinced it's not a good deal.

I do very much like the newer safety features (blind spot, reverse camera, and so on). Was introduced to them in rental cars for w*rk.

 

[TheWizard]

Extended warranties are a great profit thing for dealerships, etc.
I'm a wealthy bastard and wouldn't touch any of them with a two-foot pole...

 

[TickTock]

'Wealthy Bastard' would be a good username for this forum...

 

[Koolau]

Since DW and I had the means, we buy new and drive until the car becomes too much trouble / too many repairs. Not the most economical method over time, but DD has the stance that "knowing everything that has ever been done to the car is worth something to me" and I feel the same.

Extended warranties: traded the 2010 CR-V for a 2025 CR-V last year. Thought we were about through with the transaction when the finance guy (we didn't take out a loan) starts putting pretty color charts in front of us and talking about options. Didn't say it was extended warranty options; we had to figure that out for ourselves. Also didn't have the cost for each option, instead listing the bottom-line price we'd pay instead. ALL my alarm bells went off. We left without purchasing an extended warranty option and convinced it's not a good deal.

I do very much like the newer safety features (blind spot, reverse camera, and so on). Was introduced to them in rental cars for w*rk.

Interesting about a CR-V needing all the safety bells and whistles to "see" adequately. Our '99 CR-V had such good visibility with just its normal windows that no special features were required. That car had the visibility of a P-51 Mustang! Forward, side to side and to the rear. It was just amazing in the visibility department. I don't much care for current cars with their "zoomy" bodies and terrible visibility.

 

[rembrandt]

Great visibility...

 

[JoeWras]

Interesting about a CR-V needing all the safety bells and whistles to "see" adequately. Our '99 CR-V had such good visibility with just its normal windows that no special features were required. That car had the visibility of a P-51 Mustang! Forward, side to side and to the rear. It was just amazing in the visibility department. I don't much care for current cars with their "zoomy" bodies and terrible visibility.

Zoomy is a factor. And sometime after '99, they increased the rollover requirements. At the same time, side airbags were becoming a thing. 3 things changing designs at the same time.

Enter the thick A-pillar.

I think the A-pillar blindspot problem is under-appreciated. It can be a contributing factor to T-bone accidents. It is definitely a huge problem with vehicle vs. pedestrian accidents and has the regulators' attention as these kinds of accidents have increased significantly, more than just blaming everything on cell phones.

When you buy a new car, carefully consider your forward visibility

 

[fh2000]

My 19 year old Honda Pilot has dutifully served the family without any issues, but it is time to have the new safety functions as we get older now. I downgraded this time to a Honda CRV and paid cash. Salesperson said most people do not pay cash, and most lease their cars. Their finance manager kept trying to sell me extra warranty. I had to stand up and walk out of his office to convince him I won't buy that.

Before Pilot license renewed in March, I will take it to Carmax and say good bye to it.

 

[Music Lover]

Enter the thick A-pillar.

I think the A-pillar blindspot problem is under-appreciated. It can be a contributing factor to T-bone accidents. It is definitely a huge problem with vehicle vs. pedestrian accidents and has the regulators' attention as these kinds of accidents have increased significantly, more than just blaming everything on cell phones.

Do people not move their heads to check anymore? A large pillar may be a bit of a hindrance but it's a not issue if you move your head a few inches when required.

The same thing goes for people needing blind spot monitors. If you can't adjust the mirrors properly and/or shoulder check, then maybe you shouldn't be driving.

 

[Out of Steam]

I would only buy a manufacturer warranty. And, you have to be careful. Just because you’re at a GM dealership doesn’t mean they’re selling a GM warranty. They sell 3rd party warranties also.

I was offered only an aftermarket warranty at the dealership when I bought my Mazda new last year. As the reputation of such warranties is poor, I turned it down.

 

[Out of Steam]

Do people not move their heads to check anymore? A large pillar may be a bit of a hindrance but it's a not issue if you move your head a few inches when required.

The same thing goes for people needing blind spot monitors. If you can't adjust the mirrors properly and/or shoulder check, then maybe you shouldn't be driving.

Does this extend to "If you can't turn the steering wheel without power assistance and shift gears yourself...?" While I'm uncomfortable with systems that purport to drive the car for me, I will take help with monitoring the situation around me.